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Wheeling 2000 and beyond is a community-based project implemented to engage Wheeling's residents and business community in planning for the village's future. Initiated by the Village President and Board of Trustees, Wheeling 2000 was guided by those with the greatest possible investment in the community's future - the citizens themselves. These citizens have provided important direction, planning and recommendations for the future of the community into the next century.

In the fall of 1995, the Village retained the services of Denniston Consulting Group to facilitate this strategic planning process. Two community wide meetings were held in October and December, 1995 to ensure that all citizens and the business community were given the opportunity to participate as well as ensure that the process was a community based effort. Following the first meeting, an Executive Committee consisting of representatives of all the village's governmental units, churches and business community was selected. The Executive Committee then elected eight committee chairs - image, education, infrastructure, government, community diversity, community services, economic development large corporations and economic development commercial/retail. Residents and members of the business community were placed into committees based on their interest preference. The Executive Committee and the chairs of each of the eight committees were combined to form an overall Steering Committee which met several times throughout the entire 12 month process.

Each of the eight committees adopted its own vision statement and during the ensuing months held meetings, conducted research, met with village officials and interviewed government and business leaders from other communities. Each committee completed a series of reports which included an assessment of the current situation, identification of future trends, creating a future vision, and finally making recommendations.

Written reports prepared by each of the committees were shared and presented at several Steering Committee meetings which were open to all interested participants. Feedback from the Steering Committee was used in the development of the final reports and recommendations.

The Wheeling 2000 and Beyond Report is the product of its community members. The document is testimony to the caring and concern Wheeling citizens and members of its business community have for the village as well as their personal beliefthat the future of Wheeling is worthy of their best efforts. From the individual vision statements developed by the eight committees, a Wheeling 2000 and Beyond overall Vision Statement has been created which captures the future of Wheeling.

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